Recent Advances in Photocatalysis Based on Bioinspired Superwettabilities

Abstract

In the field of interface science, superwettability and photocatalysis are two significant research hot spots. Currently, wettability has been proved to be a decisive factor to enhance photocatalytic activity, such as self-cleaning, degradation efficiency, water purification, antibacterial, gas evaluation, reduction, fixation, H 2 O 2 generation, and so on. In this review, we summarize the recent developments of photocatalysts based on varied bioinspired wettabilities. In the beginning, the amazing wetting behaviors of natural creatures, i.e., superhydrophilic fish scale and clam shell, superhydrophobic lotus leaf and rose petal, patterned wettable desert beetle, slippery pitcher plant, and oleophobic springtail were are and their corresponding wetting models are also exhibited. Subsequently, the catalytic mechanisms of titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 ) are discussed. Subsequently, materials based on bioinspired superwetting, including (super)hydrophilicity, superhydrophobicity, patterned superwetting, responsive (super)wetting, Janus (super)wetting, slippery, and superamphiphobicity, are respectively exemplified. Finally, concerns and outlooks related to bioinspired superwettable photocatalysts are proposed. It is believed that bioinspired superwetting in photocatalysis will become an emerging research hot spot in the near future.

Research progress on eco-friendly superhydrophobic materials in environment, energy and biology

“…Taking water as the research object, surfaces can be defined as superhydrophilic ( θ < 10°), hydrophilic (10° < CA < 90°), hydrophobic (90° < CA < 150°), and superhydrophobic (>150°). 52–56…”

“…Taking water as the research object, surfaces can be defined as superhydrophilic (y o 101), hydrophilic (101 o CA o 901), hydrophobic (901 o CA o 1501), and superhydrophobic (41501). [52][53][54][55][56] 2.2 Surface free energy Surface free energy (SFE) is the embodiment of the intermolecular force on the surface of an object and is closely related to the wettability of a surface. The SFE is calculated using the CA of the material, the surface tension of liquid and the interfacial tension between the solid and liquid.…”

Critical Review on Synthetic Routes and Catalytic Applications of Hollow Nanomaterials

“…Silica or RF secondary coating protect these colloidal sphere (already coated with TiO 2 ) during calcination process. [66] Hollow TiO 2 nanoshell obtained when all the protection layers and templates remove after calcination process. NaOH etching is necessary if silica act as protecting layer.…”

Recent developments in hydrogels containing copper and palladium for the catalytic reduction/degradation of organic pollutants

“…[9][10][11] Scheme 1 provides the different approaches for the elimination of pollutants including absorption, chemical reactions, adsorption, photocatalysis, and ltration. [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] Some of these methods are simple, inexpensive, with low energy consumption and high yield, and do not produce toxic products or require complex instruments; however, eco-friendly approaches are preferable. 24 Chemical degradation is one of the most extensively utilized strategies for removing pollution from the environment, including ozone/UV, irradiation/H 2 O 2 oxidation, photocatalytic degradation, supercritical water oxidation, and electrochemical methods.…”